"I have to admit, Hisao sure knows how to win me over."
"The odd beep and boop from the computers behind the counter and chintzy pop playing over the speakers provide the soundtrack to our romantic meal of burgers and fries. Peoplewatching provides a nice source of entertainment as well, with the place being fairly full this time of day."
"Officeworkers in their smart white shirts and contrasting black slacks and skirts tap away at their phones checking their stocks and emails, while kids chat between themselves about this idol group or that videogame. It's a nice atmosphere. Casual, informal, no pretense of fine dining or any of that crap. Just people having a bite while yakking to each other."
"I take a good bite of my burger as Hisao slips a few fries into his mouth, both of us apparently being pretty hungry."
mik "You know, this is kinda like when we first met."
"Hisao pauses for a moment to think, looking like a squirrel with his cheeks full of fries. Eventually he gulps them down, having remembered that day."
his "Oh, right. When you took me to the Shanghai."
mik "Yeah. It's kinda cool."
his "I meant to do that. Glad you noticed."
"I flick a chip at his face in response, hitting him between his squinting eyes."
mik "So, what's next? Wanna pop by that shrine we passed?"
his "Not really into visiting shrines. I'm surprised you're interested, though."
mik "Doesn't hurt to throw in a coin and do the ol' rituals every so often. Didn't work for my hand, but maybe it's given me a little luck in other places."
"He looks interested, but very much in the politely nodding way."
mik "I guess that sort of thing's more important to people who grew up with it."
his "Yeah, I never really bothered much. The architecture's nice for temples and stuff, but that's about it."
"I take another bite of my burger before continuing on, unsatisfied with his answer."
mik "Do you actually believe in anything? Like, I dunno, stuff you can't see? God, spirits, karma, an afterlife, any of that stuff?"
his "Not... really?"
mik "So it's that simple."
his "It's not that I haven't done any thinking about it. Believe me, I did plenty of that while I was in hospital."
mik "Nearly dying would do that."
his "Problem is, the more I read, the less I felt I knew. It's a funny thing, how the more you research anything, the more you realise just how little you actually understand."
his "I absolutely devoured reading material, but in the end, I found a whole lot of questions, and not many answers. Pretty anticlimatic end for a quest to understand mortality, huh?"
mik "At least all that reading filled in the time."
his "That's..."
"Hisao just sighs."
his "Yeah, you're right. I guess it did."
his "How about we hit the castle once we're done here? Could have a good wander around."
"He doesn't seem too interested in the suggestion, but nor am I. We both ponder a bit as we munch away at our food."
"An idea begins to form in my head, going by how Hisao acted during our time back home. I don't know how far it is from here, or how expensive it is, but I think he'd like it."
his "I always get worried when I see that grin."
mik "Eat up, Hisao. We've got places to be."
"He looks to me with concerned eyes, having no idea of what's to come."
# Timeskip
"Cloaked in a deep blue glow, Hisao stands wide eyed as he stares up at the tank before him. I'd tease him for being so amazed, but I'm doing just the same."
"A giant manta ray, impossibly huge, breezes past the window with its underside pointed at us. It's crazy how easily it cuts through the water with such small movements. Its mouth and gills look bizarre, so totally unlike anything that walks on land."
mik "Animals are cool."
his "Sure are."
"As it glides around to the back of the tank, we start walking to the next display."
"A gaggle of teenage girls on the other side of the passage shriek in excitement, apparently overcome by the cuteness of a couple of turtles which swam up close to the window. You'd be forgiven for thinking they were fawning over a baby or something."
"We join a father and his young son at a shark tank, several of them lazily swimming about their enclosure. They're not exactly at their most menacing when they're cooped up like this, looking more bored than ravenous."
"Hisao doesn't seem to mind, though, still watching them float about with interest. Looks like I struck it out of the park on this one."
mik "Having fun there?"
his "I had no idea this city had an aquarium. You ever come here before?"
mik "Me? Nah. Probably should've."
"He goes back to looking at them swimming away after I give a shrug. It's now that I notice the young boy staring not at the sharks, but at the one-handed girl nearby. Maybe I should take pride in being more interesting than a few sharks."
"I poorly mime clutching at my stump and yelling with pain, drawing a smile from the kid. The spaces where he's lost a couple of baby teeth make it look all the cuter."
"I quickly step back and stiffen up as Hisao turns back around to see what the movement was, pretending nothing happened. Doubting me, Hisao looks over to the boy. He does just the same, though even less convincingly than my own act."
"Thoroughly beaten, Hisao moves on with me quickly falling in beside him. I think I see a smile there, no matter how much he might try to play it off."
his "You don't seem all that interested in the sea life."
mik "Just too used to seeing them, especially wild ones."
his "I guess when you grow up with something, it becomes the norm."
mik "Sure does. The aquarium's pretty cool though; it's first time I've seen some of these critters."
mik "You have a nice smile, you know that?"
his "What brought this on?"
mik "I was just thinking how different you are to when you first started in Yamaku. If you had a colour back then, it would've definitely been grey."
his "And now?"
mik "Hmm... you look kinda blue right now."
"It takes a second for him to get it, but his face drops once he does."
his "Right, the light from the tanks. Very funny."
his "I don't think anybody would argue that your colour's red, as if it were ever a question."
his "But yeah, I feel different to when I started at Yamaku as well. I can't see the entire path in front of me yet, but it feels like the fog is beginning to lift."
his "A lot of that is thanks to you, you know. The world didn't change after I had my heart attack, I just got to see a whole different part of it."
his "Maybe that's why I kinda get Mutou. When he goes on about how interesting this part of science is or that, he's really talking about a new way of seeing the world. Of understanding what's around us."
mik "Understanding Mutou, now that's a scary thought."
"I am glad, though. It feels less like I'm dragging Hisao along life with me, and more like he's back on his legs and starting to walk on his own. It reminds me of how Suzu and I ended up."
"That I can be there for another person like that makes me pretty happy."
"Eventually we reach the exit of the aquarium proper, entering the small gift shop. The two of us part to look at this knicknack or that, from small stuffed animals to phone straps and stickers."
"I feel like I should buy something for Hisao given that he paid for both our tickets, but even if he hadn't offered to get them, I couldn't have afforded one. You can practically see the tumbleweeds blowing across the empty expanse of my wallet."
"As I ponder my sadly lacking funds, I come across to the clothing section. It leaves me wondering who would want a hoodie with the name of an aquarium proudly displayed on it."
"One thing does catch my interest, though. A baseball cap with a nice colour scheme and thankfully small logo. I pick it up to check the price, but end up sighing before putting it back on the shelf. Sometimes I can afford the odd luxury, but this isn't going to be one of those weeks."
his "What's up?"
mik "Nothin'. Found something, did you?"
"I point to the small stuffed turtle in his hand."
his "Just something small to remember the place. You going to grab anything?"
mik "Nah. I'll wait outside for you, okay?"
his "Sure. See you there."
# Timeskip
"Hisao and I slowly walk across the school grounds together, the oversized plastic bag at Hisao's side crunches away with each step. With the sun finally setting, it looks like our day together's finally over."
mik "Whelp, that's that. I had a great day, Hisao."
his "What are you saying? The date's not over yet."
"Now that was smooth. He doesn't quite manage to take it all the way, with his mouth giving a slight grin from nervousness at the suggestion, but he still gets an A for effort."
mik "I might fall for you even harder if you keep that up. Mind if we stay in your room tonight?"
his "Sure."
"With that, the two of us make our way to the male dormitory building."
"A couple of dudes lounge around in the bottom floor common area, sipping at cans of soft drink as they watch television. A nice lazy way to spend an evening, really."
"We finally reach the floor of Hisao's room, the familiar poorly pinned sheets of paper still hanging onto the corkboard on the walls, albeit only barely. It's a pretty empty part of the dorms, but Hisao seems to like the quiet, so I'm not one to complain."
mik "Maybe you should put something up on the boards."
his "Like what?"
mik "I haven't thought that far ahead yet."
"He clips me over the back of the head as we continue down the hall."
"Entering his room, it looks the same as it always has. Spartan. A couple more bits and bobs have ended up on shelves and his desk, but nothing of much interest."
"Not that I dislike it, though. It almost charming in being such a good example of his orderly personality."
"I feel his hands on my waist, and as I turn to see him, I find out lips pressed together. I just close my eyes, letting myself be taken in my the sensation."
"His warm body held to mine, the tickling of his breath against my face, the brushing of his hair against my forehead.... Even if it's not exactly a passionate embrace, I can still feel my heart skip a beat."
"It's terrible how I fold so quickly like that when taken off guard. It takes me a moment to notice Hisao's hand retrieving something from the bag, leaving me to look up stupified as he plops the object onto my head."
"My eyes open wide as I realise what it is."
mik "How did you..."
his "I noticed you staring at it in the shop. I think it looks good on you."
mik "You know what?"
mik "So do I!"
"I jump at him, wrapping him in a hug. It still doesn't quite feel like a natural thing to do, but I feel like there's no other way to channel the energy I feel right now."
"This dork really can be something."